Parallel Verses
An Understandable Version
[When] you do ask, you do not receive it, because you ask from wrong motives, [just] so you can satisfy your own pleasures.
New American Standard Bible
You ask and
King James Version
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Holman Bible
You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires.
International Standard Version
You ask for something but do not get it because you ask for it for the wrong reason for your own pleasure.
A Conservative Version
Ye ask, and do not receive, because ye ask wrongly, so that ye may spend on your pleasures.
American Standard Version
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures.
Amplified
You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask
Anderson New Testament
You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your passions.
Bible in Basic English
You make your request but you do not get it, because your request has been wrongly made, desiring the thing only so that you may make use of it for your pleasure.
Common New Testament
You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Daniel Mace New Testament
you would not obtain it, because you wickedly request to have your passions gratified.
Darby Translation
Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask evilly, that ye may consume it in your pleasures.
Godbey New Testament
you ask, and you receive not, because you ask wickedly, that you may expend it in your pleasures.
Goodspeed New Testament
You ask and fail to get them because you ask with wrong motives, to spend them on your pleasures.
John Wesley New Testament
Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may expend it on your pleasures.
Julia Smith Translation
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask wickedly that ye might expend upon your sensual pleasures.
King James 2000
You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it upon your lusts.
Lexham Expanded Bible
You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, in order that you may spend [it] on your pleasures.
Modern King James verseion
You ask and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it upon your lusts.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, even to consume it upon your voluptuousness.
Moffatt New Testament
you do ask and you do not get it, because you ask with the wicked intention of spending it on your pleasures.
Montgomery New Testament
You continue to ask and do not receive, because you are asking with a wrong purpose, in order to spend it upon your pleasures.
NET Bible
you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions.
New Heart English Bible
You ask, and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.
Noyes New Testament
ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Sawyer New Testament
you ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, to expend on your pleasures.
The Emphasized Bible
Ye ask and receive not, because that, basely, ye ask, in order that, in your pleasures, ye may spend it .
Thomas Haweis New Testament
Ye ask, and receive nothing, because ye ask vilely, in order to consume it on your sensual appetites.
Twentieth Century New Testament
You ask, yet do not receive, because you ask for a wrong purpose--to spend what you get upon your pleasures.
Webster
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Weymouth New Testament
or you pray and yet do not receive, because you pray wrongly, your object being to waste what you get on some pleasure or another.
Williams New Testament
You ask and fail to get them, because you ask with evil, selfish motives, to spend them on your pleasures.
World English Bible
You ask, and don't receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.
Worrell New Testament
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it on your pleasures.
Worsley New Testament
Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask wickedly; that ye may spend it in your pleasures.
Youngs Literal Translation
ye ask, and ye receive not, because evilly ye ask, that in your pleasures ye may spend it.
Themes
Prayer » Causes of failure in » Self-indulgence
Prayer, answers to » Denied to those who » Ask amiss
Topics
Interlinear
Kakos
Word Count of 37 Translations in James 4:3
Verse Info
Context Readings
Subject Yourselves To God
2 You people desire something and yet do not have it, [so] you murder [to get it]. You are envious [of what someone has] and [yet] are not able to obtain it, [so] you fight and quarrel [over it]. You do not have [what you want] because you do not ask [God for it]. 3 [When] you do ask, you do not receive it, because you ask from wrong motives, [just] so you can satisfy your own pleasures. 4 You people who have become unfaithful to God, do you not know that being [intimate] friends with the world [of sin] means hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever determines to be an [intimate] friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Cross References
1 John 5:14
And this is [how we can express] boldness in our relationship with God: Whatever we ask [of God, in prayer], so long as it is in harmony with His will for us, [we know] He hears our request.
1 John 3:22
and we can be assured of receiving from God whatever we ask Him for, because we are obeying His commands [i.e., especially the one about loving others] and are practicing what is pleasing to Him.
Matthew 20:22
But Jesus replied to her, "You [really] do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup [i.e., of suffering] that I am about to drink?" They [i.e., James, John and their mother. See Mark 10:35ff] answered, "[Yes] we are able to."
Mark 10:38
But Jesus said to them, "You [really] do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup [i.e., of suffering] that I will drink? Or [are you able] to be immersed with the immersion that I am [to be] immersed with?" [i.e., to be overwhelmed with agony].
Luke 15:13
And a few days later, this younger son gathered everything together and traveled to a distant country where he squandered his possessions in wild living.
Luke 15:30
But when this son of yours came [home], after having squandered all you gave him on prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'
Luke 16:1-2
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "There was a certain rich man who had a property manager who was reported to be squandering his possessions.
James 1:6-7
But he should ask in faith, without doubting, because the person who doubts [that he will receive wisdom] is like an ocean wave that is driven and tossed by the wind.
James 4:1
Where do conflicts and fights among you come from? Do they not come from your [desire for] pleasures which produces inner conflict?